


Ikaruga: A Story of Two Pilots

by NamelessMoogle



Series: Stories of the Hidden Village [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - War, Body Modification, Duelling, Enemies, Enemies to Friends, Epiphanies, Gen, Ikaruga, Ikaruga AU, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Wartime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-12 06:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13541364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelessMoogle/pseuds/NamelessMoogle
Summary: (Inspired bythis game.)Noctis didn’t know why or how the war had begun, but it was apparent that Niflheim had started it and the entire Eos got involved, including Lucis.What used to be Lucis, Noct had to correct himself. He knew nothing could change the facts that Lucis was no more and that he was the only one who survived the invasion.*****The area was mostly abandoned, having been a battlefield not long before. It was like any other areas Prompto had been to since crossing the imperial border for the first time. While he had nothing to say about the dead town itself, he appreciated the climate.This breeze beats the snowstorms in Gralea, he thought, even though he wouldn’t share that sentiment with anyone.





	1. The Sole Survivor

“Noctis, get into the Regalia.”

“Not without you, Dad!”

“I’ll be right behind you, son.”

*****

A dark-haired young man woke up. The last conversation he’d had with his father before escaping from Lucis constantly haunted him. Soon after Noctis fled the battlefield, he heard a series of loud explosions before him. _I couldn’t turn back._ His body shook as he struggled not to cry. He was now a soldier fighting against Niflheim, the invader and destroyer of his hometown. The night before a mission was no time for a soldier to cry in bed.

Noctis didn’t know why or how the war had begun, but it was apparent that Niflheim had started it and the entire Eos got involved, including Lucis. _What used to be Lucis_ , Noct had to correct himself. He knew nothing could change the facts that Lucis was no more and that he was the only one who survived the invasion. He could, however, swing a sword and pilot the Regalia to take down the enemies.

Unable to go back to sleeping, the young man snuck out of the bed and headed to the shower. The warm water felt soothing on his body -- a body he had yet to be accustomed to. It still frightened him whenever he saw the mythril frames on his limbs and torso. He needed those metal pieces in order to handle the pressure on his body during aerial combats. He felt the “augmentation” gave him a machine-like look when his clothes were off. He scoffed at his own consciousness of the appearance when he didn’t care half as much about the rumor that the enhancement would shorten the subjects’ lives.

_At least, the Old Girl is still with me._ Thinking of the Regalia brought a smile on Noctis’s face as he dried his body off with a towel. The aircraft had been his father’s before the old man left her to Noct. She was small, but she could pull off any maneuver he asked her to perform. Had he been on any other fighter plane during the escape, Noctis believed, he wouldn’t have gotten away unscathed. He owed his life both to his father and the Old Girl. Hence, he decided to make his loved ones proud by fighting for those suffering in the Niffs’ hands.


	2. The Fateful Encounter

Noctis had believed that he would never part with the Old Girl. He knew, of course, that fighter planes come and go, especially in a wartime. Nevertheless, the Regalia was more than a vehicle to him. She was his father’s legacy. She was his friend and protector. She was his most trusted comrade.

The soldier’s heart almost stopped when the aircraft took a hit on the tail and started to fall. Ejecting himself out of the plane, Noctis watched the Regalia crash onto the ground and explode as his parachute opened.

“Come on, Old Girl,” Noctis whispered. “Don’t leave me…”

*****

Few Magitek soldiers enjoyed patrolling on foot, as the task entailed little action and tons of legwork. Prompto wasn’t fond of it himself, but he found it perfectly fine to be careful and keep an eye on the field. Doing such dull work also meant that he was more likely to see the end of the day than his brothers on the frontline.

The area was mostly abandoned, having been a battlefield not long before. It was like any other areas Prompto had been to since crossing the imperial border for the first time. While he had nothing to say about the dead town itself, he appreciated the climate. _This breeze beats the snowstorms in Gralea_ , he thought, even though he wouldn’t share that sentiment with anyone. He stayed silent and continued the patrol.

Then, he saw a parachute, one not bearing any Niflheim logo he could recognize, approaching bushes a few hundred meters from where he was. Taking a handgun out, Prompto rushed to the spot the chute was about the fall onto.

A man dressed in black was landing. Prompto hid himself behind a tree to watch the stranger, while keeping a firm grip on the gun. _If I see anything suspicious_ , the blonde thought, _I shoot._ Though young, Prompto was a trained combatant, one especially skilled with guns. The shooter knew what he could do with the small gun he was holding. He smiled for half a second and resumed his watch on the man.

*****

_This is an enemy territory_ , Noctis realized. He wasn’t surprised, since Niflheim had taken the majority of Eos under their rule. Noctis now had to find a way out, without his wings the Regalia. He only had his own wits and his father’s sword to rely on. Having no time to waste, Noct put away his parachute in the bushes and looked around to plan his escape. He had taken few steps before noticing something unusual: a flash of light behind a tree nearby. He slowly reached for the sword.

“Stop.”

The command was soft-spoken but firm. _The person who set off that flash of light_ , Noctis assumed. _Probably a Niff._

“Why should I?”

At this display of defiance, his opponent cocked a gun.

“ _This_ is why. Raise your hands and turn around.”

With no other options, Noctis followed the order and looked at his assailant: a young man around his age, with blond hair and eyes shining like amethyst.

*****

Prompto had never seen an ocean, but he had heard of oceans and imagined himself near one. He had never expected to look into a deep ocean in the middle of nowhere, in the eyes of a complete stranger who was obviously an enemy of the empire. Prompto was thankful for the extensive trainings he’d had: he wouldn’t have kept himself calm and composed on the outside without them.

“Who are you, and what are you doing on imperial soil?”

“I’m nobody, and I was doing nothing.”

Prompto growled at the meaningless answer. “I’ll ask you one more time. Who. Are. You?”

“I,” the man in black spat out, “would love to be your worst nightmare, Niff.”

Unlike what Prompto anticipated, his opponent didn’t draw his sword, but swung a fist into the gunman’s face.

*****

Noctis had recognized the military uniform the other man was wearing, so he wasn’t surprised to see the blonde retaliate and engage in a hand-to-hand combat. What _did_ frustrate him was that he had started the brawl in such a close proximity that he couldn’t spare a moment to grab his sword. _But then, this guy doesn’t get to use his gun either, huh._

Prompto was disappointed that it didn’t turn out to be a quiet day of reconnaissance as he had wished. Nonetheless, he felt blood pumping into his limbs as he attempted to kick the enemy on the shin. When the attack didn’t connect, Prompto realized that this could turn into a long-winded, exhausting duel.


	3. The Hidden Village

Noctis opened his eyes, looked around, and found himself in a bed in an unfamiliar room.

“You are awake, at last.”

The voice was also unfamiliar to the soldier. It finally dawned on Noctis that he was not alone in the room: a tall, bespectacled man in a dark grey suit was standing by the door, looking at him.

“Where am I?”

“You are currently in the house of the village chief.”

“What village?”

The tall man’s eyes narrowed at this question, studying the dark-haired man.

“I’m not at liberty to answer that question.”

“Suspicious much, aren’t you?”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“Fine,” Noctis relented. “How’d I end up here, then?”

“Our men found the two of you unconscious in the forest, and one of them insisted that we not leave you to your deaths.”

“‘Two of you,’ huh?” Noctis frowned at the number. “Where’s the Niff?”

“Ah, so the other gentleman came from Niflheim.” The sharp-eyed man seemed almost delighted at the discovery.

“I was engaged in a combat with him.”

“And both of you wore yourselves out in the process, I presume.”

“...”

“Well, it doesn’t matter what happened at that time. Are you with the Resistance?”

“Why would I fight a Niff if I weren’t?”

“Touche,” nodded the man in the immaculate suit, as he opened the door and signaled at someone with a gloved hand.

Two more men entered the room: one middle-aged, with piercing eyes and short hair; the other looking to be in his mid-twenties, with strong muscles head to toe. They were dressed in dark grey as well, though more casually than the man who had greeted Noctis. The older man nodded at the younger men, then turned to the soldier.

“Welcome to the Village of Ikaruga, home of survivors. I am Cor, the chief of this village.”

“Noctis. A pilot.”

“Fighting against Niflheim.”

“Hell, yeah.”

The look on the chief’s face softened for a moment at the straightforward response, but it immediately reverted to the stern one.

“What were you doing with the Magitek soldier?”

“Trying to put him out of commission so I could get the hell out.”

“Very well. You said you’re a pilot, right?”

“Right.”

“Can you show us a proof that you really are one?”

Noctis rolled up the sleeves to reveal the mythril frames on his arms. “What, you didn’t check me out while I was sleeping?”

“Watch it, shortstuff.”

“No need to be rude, Gladiolus.”

“But, Chief!”

The bespectacled man intervened. “This man is a guest.”

The man called Gladiolus frowned and took a step back, glaring at Noctis.

“Noctis,” Cor resumed, “this is Gladiolus, who guards the village. And that,” pointing at the one in the suit, “is Ignis. He looks after the internal affairs.”

“Charmed.”

“We are refugees, also against the Niffs’ tyranny. And we’d like to do something about it.”

That statement got the soldier’s attention. “And?”

“I think there’s something you can do here.”


	4. The Curious Boy

“What is your name?”

“Prompto.”

The blond soldier was in a situation similar to his opponent’s, except that he had woken up in Gladiolus’s house, and that the guard was the one asking him questions. The tall man didn’t hide his annoyance when Prompto confirmed that he was from Niflheim. Even so, the soldier found it impressive that Gladiolus stayed calm and continued the conversation without raising a fist.

“You ain’t going anywhere, Niff.”

“Naturally. But may I ask where I am?”

Gladiolus raised a brow before blurting out, “Out of their sight.”

Prompto nodded and leaned against the wall as the other man left the room. While he heard no locks clicking shut, the young soldier had no doubt that there were guards watching the room. Not eager to cause a scene in what appeared to be an enemy territory, Prompto decided against attempting an escape for the time being. Instead, he looked around in order to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

The room was plainly furnished, with a bed, a desk, a chair, and a bookshelf. The last piece of furniture surprised Prompto, as he had never seen a shelf full of books before. Amazed that there were so many books gathered in a single place, he walked up to the shelf to look at the books. Among them, once titled _Looking After Your Chocobos_ caught his attention. He knew chocobos were a valuable means of transportation, allowing access to places vehicles couldn’t get to; however, “looking after” one was an idea alien to him. He took out the book, opened it, and looked at pictures of the birds on the pages.

When Gladiolus returned (with Cor and Ignis this time), Prompto was still immersed in the book. The chief and his aides were confused at first, but all of them immediately focused on the task at hand. Cor looked straight at the soldier as he asked, “Prompto from Niflheim. Correct?”

“Yes, I am.”

“You can call me Cor,” the older man said. “I run things around here.”

“Could you tell me where I am, then?”

Cor exchanged quick glances with Ignis and Gladiolus before giving an answer. “We call it ‘The Hidden Village,’ unknown to… certain people.”

“You people are being careful around me.”

“You’re from Niflheim. We have to.”

“Very well. Then, can I, at least, step out of this room for a stroll?”

“In due time, I hope,” Cor said, maintaining a calm voice. “But, first, we need to know whether you are a threat to us. Tell us about yourself.”

“...myself?”

*****

I suppose you have already figured out that I am a Magitek soldier. I use guns and I sometimes pilot fighter planes, but I can handle reconnaissance as well. Not exactly an outstanding soldier, perhaps, but I try to get the job done, which I believe is why I’m still alive.

What do I know about Magitek soldiers, you ask? Well… We are not _born_. We are _manufactured_ , like machines in a factory. I can’t tell you much about how we are made, as I’m no scientist. But I’ve heard that there is some genetic engineering involved in the process, to make our bodies more durable. For instance, I have mythril bars implanted, like the resistance pilot I was fighting. But I have fewer of them, because the genetic enhancements have rendered some of the frames unnecessary. That’s how advanced Niflheim’s technologies are.

Don’t get me wrong. Contrary to what you might believe, they do educate us soldiers, looking for candidates for espionage missions. No, I’m not a spy, but I have learned enough: you even saw me reading a book here. We _are_ sheltered unless engaged in missions, so there are things I have never seen, like a chocobo.

Cooperative? Am I? I don’t know about that. I do what I can do see the end of the day, as always. That is the only way I know to live my life. I have no purpose to live for, as I was only made to fight for Niflheim. But I do not wish to die yet.

...you think Magitek soldiers are machines because we are manufactured. You are wrong: we are humans just like you, complete with desires and curiosities. However, we are not trained to utilize them, so most of us live and fight without thinking about what we want. 

I live each day wanting to see another, because I would like to know more than I do now.


	5. The Unexpected Decisions (Part One)

Despite the throbbing pains on the limbs, Noctis was happy to take a walk outside, after spending days in bed. It felt good to stretch out the muscles and breathe in fresh air, so the dark-haired man intended to enjoy the privileges while he could. _While I’m alive_ , he knew, and he couldn’t keep the morbid thought out of his mind.

Several blocks away, Prompto was also out for a stroll. However, unlike Noctis, the Magitek soldier was allowed out under the condition that he be chaperoned at all times. He accepted and stepped out with the burly man ( _Gladiolus_ , Prompto finally learned the guy’s name). The air felt different than what the young soldier was accustomed to. Instead of metal, sweat, and blood, he smelled earth and grass. He heard people -- men, women, and children -- chat and laugh, from a distance. _This village is everything I’m not_ , Prompto’s face darkened at the thought. He quickly hid the depression with a faint smile as he glanced at his chaperon.

Back in his house, Cor was discussing the soldiers with Ignis. While the chief and his second-in-command agreed that the young men were to be kept in Ikaruga for the time being, lest they expose the village, the usually stoic gentlemen weren’t sure exactly what to do with them. They had offered Noctis a place here, but the resistance pilot wanted time to think about it. The Magitek soldier was a tough case, however, since he was of the enemy force and harder to read. Cor had given Gladiolus permission to kill Prompto should the blonde go rogue, although the older man hoped it wouldn’t be the case.

“At least, Prompto doesn’t appear to be aggressive right now, Chief,” Ignis said. “Nevertheless, we cannot be certain. It was wise of you to have Gladiolus monitor him.”

“The boy seemed sensible enough when we spoke to him earlier,” Cor said. “Almost made me feel sorry that he’s an enemy.”

Unknowingly leaving these serious men in deep concern, Prompto turned to Gladiolus and asked, “Why do you work so hard to guard the village?”

That tall man scoffed but managed to answer, “Isn’t it obvious? I want everyone to be safe.”

“What’s the point? They can’t even leave the village.”

Gladiolus snarled at Prompto. “They won’t be stuck here forever, even if they are now. The resistance forces out there fight for freedom, and we keep their loved ones safe so that everyone will enjoy freedom together when the Niffs kick the bucket.”

Prompto chose not to pursue the topic, noting Gladiolus’s anger. But his thoughts lingered on a certain word the big guy had said: _freedom_. Having been created and trained only to fight, the blonde had never experienced freedom. _I simply believed that enemies wanted to eliminate us_ , Prompto reflected. He then realized that he had never questioned this value, in spite of his innate curiosity. The conviction in Gladiolus’s voice when the guard spoke of freedom intrigued the soldier all the more.

In the meantime, Noctis made his way back to Cor’s house and saw the chief having coffee with Ignis.

“Greetings, Noctis,” the bespectacled man said. “Would you like some coffee?”

“No, thanks. But…”

Cor raised an eyebrow and stared at the young man. “What is it?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you guys offered.”

Ignis cast an intense gaze at Noctis. “What of it?”

“I don’t know much about anything, but there’s one thing I know for sure: I want to fight the Niffs until they’re gone. If I can do it here, you can count me in.”

Without batting an eyelash, Cor asked, “Are you sure?”

Noctis nodded at the chief in silence.

“Very well. Ignis, take him to the Bird. I will join you shortly.”


	6. The Unexpected Decisions (Part Two)

Prompto knew he couldn’t go back to the military base he had worked at before running into the man with ocean blue eyes. If he were to return to the life he previously had, he would have to expose the village: should he choose to remain silent, his “colleagues” would grow suspicious and eventually terminate him. _I must figure something out if I want to see the end of another day_ , Prompto reminded himself as he walked a few steps ahead of Gladiolus, who had stayed quiet since stating the reason for his hard work.

THe thought of the man keeping a sharp eye on him had Prompto reflect on the word _freedom_ once again. The soldier had spent his life following orders, doing what he was told to do. Granted, he was far from being the most obedient man, and even had put his own curiosity above the rules once or twice. However, those rare moments of rebellion weren’t without prices. Prompto looked around and at the secluded village, imagining how high the price of freedom must be for the villagers. He knew there was no way he could accurately estimate the value, being a stranger to freedom. Nevertheless, he could see that it was precious to these people, including Gladiolus, and that they were willing to bear the burden of fighting when they could choose the convenience of surrendering to Niflheim.

_What can I do to live… and learn about freedom?_ The chain of thoughts following this question gradually led Prompto to a certain set of wings he was familiar with.

Elsewhere in the village, Ignis took Noctis to an underground tunnel, where the two men walked in silence. Ignis volunteered no information what Cor had mentioned, and Noctis saw no point in badgering the other man for what he was to see shortly. They kept walking until they reached a sturdy door, which Ignis unlocked with keys he had in the pocket.

Noctis couldn’t have imagined what he was about to find behind the door. It was surprising enough to see a spacious room underground, but to see one that contained an aircraft in a village of refugees… _Holy shit, is this a hangar?_ Then, the young man recalled Cor telling Ignis about a “Bird.” Intrigued, Noctis focused on the aircraft: she was armed to the teeth, flaunting her status as a fighter. _She doesn’t look like a predator_ , the pilot thought, _nor a protector like the Old Girl, but still…_

Noticing the young man’s interest, Ignis said, “Let me present you the Ikaruga.”

“Isn’t that the name of the village?”

“It is her name as well.”

“Ah.”

The Ikaruga lacked decorations, but her steel grey body was full of grace Noctis had not seen since he lost his home. The soldier was no mechanic, but he had seen some of the finest aircrafts in Insomnia and learned to appreciate their beauty and strength. So he knew that the Bird showed workmanship similar to what the old beauties bore.

“We named her after the village because she’s our last hope.” Cor’s voice brought Noctis back into reality. The chief continued now that he had the pilot’s attention. “The Niffs have advantages on the land, with their tanks and Magitek soldiers. All the opposing forces know that we would have no choice but to fly.” The older man gazed at Noctis before going further on, “Yet it hasn’t been easy to build a fighter of such caliber. Even if someone has constructed one, finding a suitable partner for her will also be an issue.”

Not knowing what to say, Noctis kept listening.

“Here in the Village of Ikaruga, we’ve been blessed with talented people, like Ignis and Gladiolus. It’s thanks to them that we have this Bird. However, we have no pilot capable of handling a fighter. A few people here know their ways around the cockpit, but you know better than any of us that it takes more than moving a plane to pilot one. Noctis, you’re a pilot and you said you’d be willing to fight the Niffs. I believe the Ikaruga can help you in that endeavor.”

“Me? Really? Are you sure?”

Before Cor could answer the young man, another door to the hangar opened with a thud. Cor, Ignis, and Noctis saw Gladiolus coming in, with Prompto in tow.

“What’s the meaning of this, Gladiolus?”

The tall man flinched at the tone of the chief’s voice, but he didn’t relent. “I heard that you decided to show our Bird to the resistance boy.”

“My name is _Noctis_ ,” the pilot snarled at Gladiolus.

Cor glared at both of them and responded, “Gladiolus, you know why we’ve come to the decision.”

“I know how to fly her, Chief. Why can’t I go?”

To everyone’s surprise, it was Ignis who intervened. “Gladio, we need you here to keep the village safe. You promised, remember?”

Those words seemed enough to silence the guard. However, Cor had something else to ask.

“Why have you brought Prompto here?”

“Well, I couldn’t leave him on his own,” Gladiolus said with a shrug. “And he’s got something to say to you.”

Neither Cor nor Ignis was happy to see Prompto staring at the Ikaruga, but the blonde was already at it before anyone could stop him. He was still aware of where he was as he opened his mouth to say, “Chief, I would like to join you in the fight for freedom.”

The chief and his advisor were startled to hear this, as they had never expected someone from Niflheim to say anything of the sort. Cor was the first to recover from the initial shock. “Interesting. What can you do to help, then? We already have people on recon, and our only fighter has been taken.”

“No worries. I have my own wings.”

“I have never heard of a Magitek soldier having his own fighter,” Ignis shot out. “How did you acquire one?”

“Off the record. She was a prototype that never made it past the tests. She is strong, but was deemed too cost-inefficient for mass production, so they decided to trash her.”

“But you kept her,” Cor chimed in. “How?”

“I had my ways, doing people favors. It wasn’t easy to satisfy them all, and it took a while. The, uh, efforts put some strain on me, but I eventually managed to make her mine.”

None of the other men was cruel enough to demand the Magitek soldier for details. Noctis was visibly shaken, trying to blink a few tears away. Gladiolus clenched his hands into fists that could shatter rocks. Ignis adjusted his glasses with a shaky hand. Cor displayed no signs of discomfort, but still looked slightly less calm than he usually did.

“Tell us about your aircraft,” the chief said.

“That girl,” Prompto responded as his gaze shifted back to the Ikaruga, “reminds me of the Ginkei, though my girl’s wings are not so widely spread out. Also, she never got to many weapons, being a prototype. But I’m sure my Ginkei is, at the very least, as maneuverable as that girl.”

Ignis joined Cor in the curiosity towards the new fighter plane. “Fascinating. Could you show us this Ginkei, then?”


	7. The Brief Intermission

Despite the strengths which the fighter planes and their pilots all possessed, none of them could go on without breaks. Noctis and Prompto did some maintenance work on their respective wings, but the village had mechanics who were eager to look after the Ikaruga and the Ginkei. The two pilots would work out in silence or snooze in the barracks the villagers had prepared for them. As they spent more time together in and out of combat, however, they began to exchange greetings and a few words in awkward conversations. Initially, the chats mostly focused on tactics, but the young men gradually moved on to other matters pertaining to their aircrafts.

“Noctis, can I ask you something about the Ikaruga?” Prompto asked one day as he approached the dark-haired pilot.

“Uh, sure. What is it?”

“You never call the Ikaruga by her name, but always _My Girl_. Why?”

“You call the Ginkei _My Girl_ , too.”

“Yes, but I use her name just as often. On the other hand, when you say _Ikaruga_ , it’s always the village and never the plane.”

Noctis tensed up at the revelation. “Is that so?”

“You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I’m fine. Just… gimme a minute, okay?”

Prompto then sat next to Noctis and waited for an answer. Noctis took a few deep breaths before he started.

*****

Before I came to Ikaruga -- no, before I even met you, I piloted another fighter. She used to be my father’s, but he left her to me when… when Insomnia fell. From then on, she was my only friend until I lost her in combat, the day we first met.

Her name is the Regalia. She had been around and survived numerous battles as my old man’s partner. As a kid, I jokingly referred to her as _the Old Man’s Girl_. My father’s men liked the nickname and made it a habit to call her _the Old Girl_ , which eventually became her unofficial (yet better-known) name.

So, even after those days were gone and I got her in my father’s stead, I still felt that she belonged to him, not to me. She was always _the Old Girl_ to the very end.

But, the Ikaruga -- there, I said it -- has been my partner since Cor let me handle her, right? The Old Girl was kind and comfortable, but this new girl is, well, feisty and mischievous. Like me. And, in the air, I can fly her as if I were moving my own arms and legs, like we were made for each other. I’ve never felt that anywhere, but with her.

Laugh at me if you must, but that’s what she means to me.

*****

Contrary to Noctis’s worries, Prompto did not laugh at all. The blond pilot smiled and patted the other man on the shoulder. 


	8. The Gradual Descent

The resistance forces suffered more and more casualties, despite all the valiant efforts against NIflheim, as the war went on. Noctis and Prompto saw allies fall on the front line every day. While neither of them spoke of it to anyone, their hearts ached for the losses they had witnessed. Though hardened by battles, the young soldiers almost faltered at the chains of death they faced wherever they went.

Cor caught on, having experienced similar ordeals first-hand. One day, he asked the duo to stop by his office. “Noctis. Prompto.” He addressed them as soon as everyone took a seat. “I’ve heard that both of you have proven yourselves competent pilots and combatants.” Ignoring the look of surprise on the soldiers’ faces, Cor went on. “However, I want you to think beyond what’s in front of you right now.” He then paused for a few seconds to watch their surprise turning into confusion.

Noctis rolled his eyes at the chief. “I don’t get it.”

“It’s a simple matter of principle,” Cor resumed. “As soldiers on the battlefield, you can never get away from death, whether it’s someone else’s or your own.” The youngsters flinched upon hearing the word _death_ : Noctis wore a pronounced frown and Prompto clenched his hands into fists with snow-white knuckles. The middle-aged man continued his speech as if he had seen nothing. “No matter how difficult it is, always remember that these people are living and dying for the freedom of everyone in Eos. As the living, we have the obligation to carry on the hopes of those who have devoted their lives to this cause.”

The pep talk didn’t relieve the pilots of their emotional pain, but it helped them keep their goal in mind.

*****

The self-proclaimed Emperor of Niflheim shook with fury before his right-hand men. “Again!” He glared at the men before him as he shouted, “Assaulted from the air again! What were the Magitek troopers doing?”

A bald-headed old man spoke up. “Your Radiance. Pardon my insolence, but the Magitek was designed for land combats. We hadn’t considered making an air force out of them, because --”

“Shut up. SHUT UP!”

“My, my,” another man joined in the conversation despite the emperor’s sudden outburst. “Gentlemen, we know that the damage from the feeble attempts up in the sky is negligible, compared to what we have gained through our army of these magnificent Magitek units.”

The bald man was taken aback. “Chancellor, how dare you --”

“Of course, the so-called ‘Twin Birds’ have been slightly annoying,” the chancellor flashed a smile at everyone in the room as he interrupted the old man. “But they’re little more than a couple of mosquitoes that won’t love long, for,” shifting his gaze to the bald man, he added, “we shall squash them to death.”

The emperor nodded in approval. “Very well. I leave the insects in your hand, Chancellor.”

“It is an honor, Your Imperial Majesty.”

*****

While painkillers were a staple among all combatants, some needed the pills more than others. It had never occurred to Prompto that he would ever be among those _some_ until the pilot found himself counting the number of the pills on his palm one night. Engineered to be a pawn of war, he had undergone genetic enhancements, which allowed him to withstand more pain than an ordinary man could. He knew that pain constantly kept soldiers company, but he hadn’t expected to live long enough to need a means to alleviate it.

A hand on the shoulder broke Prompto out of the trance. “Prompto.”

“Noctis.”

“I know it’s a dumb question, but… Are you okay?”

Prompto shook his head as he answered, “I don’t know.”

Silence filled the room as Prompto kept staring at the painkillers he was holding and Noctis at the back of Prompto’s head.

“Man, how long has it been? I can’t tell.” Noctis gently squeezed Prompto’s shoulder as he spoke. “But I guess we’ve been at it long enough to hurt. They say piloting fighter planes is a huge pain in the ass, anyway.”

In truth, both soldiers knew aerial combats put heavy strain on the pilots’ bodies, necessitating mythril frames implanted on anyone daring to show off their prowess in the sky. As long as they wanted to deny it, they had begun to _feel_ , with their own bodies, that even the sturdiest metal in the world wasn’t almighty. 

Prompto broke the silence this time.

“Hey, Noctis. What would you do if today were the last day of your life?”

Noctis froze at the question, and Prompto felt the hand on his shoulder tense. There was no answer until Noctis managed to relax the grip on his friend’s shoulder.

“To be honest, I’ve never thought about it. In fact, I’ve never felt the need to imagine it, ‘cause I can kick the bucket at any moment. Besides, it’s not like anybody would miss me when I’m gone.”

“...Are you sure about that?”

“I guess,” Noctis answered nonchalantly, but something about Prompto’s questions worried him. “What’s going on, Prompto? You’ve been saying some… strange things.”

The blonde brushed Noctis’s hand off his shoulder, clenched his own hand -- the one holding the painkillers -- into a fist, and stood up to face the dark-haired pilot. “I don’t know what I’d do if I knew I’d die very soon.” Prompto hesitated for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully. “My body is having trouble handling the flights now, but I don’t want to stop what I’m doing.”

Noctis didn’t say anything in response, but held Prompto in a warm embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> [Scream at me about my little fics](https://twitter.com/namelessmoogle1).


End file.
